Yasmin of Yamani
by toyou
Summary: A story taking placing in both the Yamani Islands and in the kingdom of Tortall. This is about a young girl who is going to be trained as a knight like the loiness. She also meets charactors from Tamora Pierce's other books.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1-**

_"All men to their battle stations! Ready? Aim. FIRE!" yelled a man in a gold washed suit of armor. _

_As soon as he said "FIRE", a million arrows took flight to the other side of the field. The enemy shrieked as arrow after arrow made their mark. But then there was another kind of noise behind me. I swiveled around to see, but it was too late. An arrow hit the man behind me. He died. Then the man on my other side, and the next, and the next few until I was almost the only one left. The enemy proclaimed victory. But they where wrong. I took out my sword and fought until both sides were evenly matched. We made a tight circle around our king. We fought, but we still weren't strong enough to win. They took our king and killed him. I saw the killing blade swing down towards him._

I woke with a start. What a scary dream! It has been haunting me for the past two months, since I became a page at the royal palace in Corus, Tortall's capital city. I would hopefully become a knight someday. I would see the queen and king on a regular basis. Anyhow, I don't know why, but every time I have this dream, I would see an animal die, I would feel sad for it and cry; and as I cried, the animal would come back to life. It was the strangest thing I had ever thought of happening in my life.

I got out of bed into the darkness of the morning before sunrise. I got dressed to ride because today was finally the day I would become a page. I would travel to Corus in four days, so it would be best to get a head start. I have to bring my family's servant with me. His name is Griffin.

I ran out of the house and into the field to greet my horse Missy. Missy is a little brown horse with black stockings and a white nose. I brushed and groomed her, and tacked her up to go. My brothers, Tom Ali of Yamani Islands and John Ali of Yamani Islands, have successfully become knights of the court. I am the second girl to take advantage of the law that anyone can fight, even girls. The first lady knight is Alanna of Trebond and Olau, she had to hide that she was a girl for eight whole years. Then Kelly of Mindelan is still a page at the palace. She's a third year page to be exact.

"YASMIN!" yelled a big muscular man from the doorway with gray eyes, a rock smooth face, black hair, and sunburned skin.

"Yes Griffin. I'm here. I've been up since five thirty this morning," I answered with my face just as smooth showing no emotion at all.

It is a Yamani tradition to make your face show no emotion. Another tradition is not talking at suppertime.

"Yasmin, you are too weak to wake up that early," said Griffin, looking up at the thin tall five foot two ten-year-old girl. Her hair was as shiny as copper and her eye color changed with her mood. At this moment, her eyes were gold, depicting her excitement.

Griffin shook his head. "The other knights are going to laugh at me because of this idea of yours," said Griffin in dismay. (All the people in this area of the world don't think girls are strong enough to become knights.)

All of a sudden, my eyes changed from gold to taunting purple.

"Griffin, you just showed me your feelings. This is against Yamani law. How long have you been Yamani?" I asked with a perfectly smooth face.

"Exactly a year in one week," answered Griffin.

"Well then, what was your name before you came here?" I asked as my eyes changed from purple to silver gray signaling mystery.

"At the time, my name was Gordon of Pirate's Swoop. But, ever since I was adopted by the Yamani tribes, my name has been Griffin of Yamani," he answered.

"The place where the Lioness lives?" I asked as my eyes changed from gray to longing navy blue.

The Lioness is Alanna; she's just called "The Lioness" because of her lion on her shield.

Without a warning Griffin said, "Let's go or we'll be late for the boat to Mindelan!" His face smooth again.

"Griffin? Is princess Yadmal coming with us to see her sister?" I asked

"Maybe," said Griffin.

Princess Yadmal is my best friend. Her sister Padma is thirteen and is going to marry Prince Roald of Conte. He is the oldest child of the Queen and King of Conte.

"Actually, princess Yadmal isn't coming yet," said Griffin.

"Is she going with her father next week?" I asked.

"Yes I believe so," said Griffin.

"OK, let's go then," I said.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2-**

We traveled by boat for two days to get to Mindelan. Still feeling queasy, I steeped off the boat with my horse onto the busy road. We rode continuously for the next two days, stopping only to let the horses cool down and graze. Finally we reached the gates of the Castle in Corus. We entered and put our horses in the royal stable for pages. I walked down the page's hallway and saw a tall girl who looked like a third year page. She looked up and I recognized her immediately as my best friend from my youth.

"Kel?" I said.

The girl looked up at me and said "Yasmin, is that you?"

"Yes. So you're this Kelly I've heard about so many times," I said trying to keep from smiling.

"Yasmin! You're so tall since I last saw you!" said Kelly smiling.

"Kel, you're smiling," I said shocked.

"Oh! Sorry! You get used to it here!" she answered trying to keep her face emotionless.

"Hi!" yelled an older girl from across the hall. She was skinny and wore a maid's uniform.

As soon as she saw me, she became quiet as a mouse.

"Lalasa, this is Yasmin of Yamani. Yasmin, this is my maid Lalasa of Isran. Lalasa, Yasmin is going to be rooming next door to us for the next years! Yasmin please don't forget to ask Lesley for a magical key to your door. Some boys think girls don't belong here so they mess up their rooms. By the way Lesley is the main maid," said Kel quickly.

"O.K. I'll try to remember," I said.

"See you later. I have to get ready for my lord Wyldon's inspection," said Kel.

"OK, see you later," I said.

I went to the room to the right of Kel's. There wasn't a name on the black board outside the door, so I wrote my name and went inside. As soon as I stepped in, I knew what Kel meant by some boys like playing pranks.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3-**

The bed was turned upside down and on the wall someone engraved the message "Go back home girly!" It was so appalling that my eyes turned as red as flames. I stay still there just looking at the righting when someone came in. I didn't see them till…

"Miss? Are you ok?" asked a small lady with blonde hair in a maid's dress.

I was so mad at the writing that I didn't answer so the lady started to look around.

"Miss? What happened here? The room is a mess as I figured," she said.

"What did you say?" I asked.

"I said that I figured it would be this messy," she said louder this time.

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Because of fourth year Joren and his gang especially Gravy of Stone mountain. You should have seen mistress Kel's room that day! I had to clean her room at least five times!" she said back almost half laughing.

"Then you must be Lesley, the head maid of the Pages' wing," I said.

"Yes. That's correct. Who told you Miss Yasmin?" she said in a down sort of way.

"Kel. She said to ask for a magic key," I said.

"OH! That spell. I must have done it three years ago. I don't know where that paper with that spell on it went!" she said almost sadly. "Sorry, Miss. But if I do find it how many keys would you like?"

"If you don't mind I'll need two. One for me and one for my family's servant Griffin," I said.

"OK Miss. And would you mind if I give one to Miss Kel?" asked Lesley.

"No. I wouldn't mind at all," I said.

"Thank you miss," said Lesley as she left.

There was a knock no the door.

"COME IN!" I yelled.

"Yasmin! What in the name god of Mithros are you doing here?" asked a boy with dark skin and black hair just like Yadmal and her sister Padma for this was Heckar of Yamani. He is second oldest to the throne of Yamani. But unlike his sisters he had been sent here to become a knight. His sisters are just woman in anyone's eyes, but mine.

"Hello Prince Heckar of Yamani. We were starting to miss your archery skills. Your sister Yadmal is or was worried about you!" I said as I bowed to him. Before I could finish a proper bow he waved me to my feet.

"None of this not a word… No one here knows I'm a prince and if they catch me with you I'm as good as dead. I like it here everyone treats you like an equal where as at home they bow. I don't like being treated differently. Oh my look at what Gravey did to your room!" He said while shifting uncomfortably. "Sacklan!" he muttered a curse under his breathe.

"You know this Gravey of Stone Mountain don't you?" I asked appalled.

"Yes, I do. But he is really a nice guy if you get to know him!" said Heckar defensively.

"From what I've heard I'm not sure," I said.

Heckar nodded his head and left.

"Now what was that all about?" asked Griffin as he came inside my room. "Did Heckar do this to the walls?" asked Griffin in a harsh voice.

"No. But it's someone he knows. The boy's name is Gravey of Stone Mountain," I said.

"OK," said Griffin. "Let's go for a walk."

"Alright, I'll be ready in ten minutes," I told him.

He bowed and sat on the bed. Ten minutes later Griffin started to show me around the palace when we bumped into Veraldaine, other wise known as the "Wild mage."


End file.
